Multiple-tuck folder for sewing-machines.



J. DOUGLAS.

MULTIPLE TUCK FOLDER FOR SEWING MAGHINES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1908. RENEWED AUG. 28, 1911. 1,024,317

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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J. DOUGLAS.. MULTIPLE TUGK FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1908. RENEWED AUG. 28, 1911. 1,024, 3 1 7.

Patented. Apr. 23, 1912.

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WITNESSES ATTORNEY.

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UNTTED TATE PATENT @FFTQE.

JOHN DOUGLAS, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TURING- COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MULTIPLE-THOR FOLDER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Application filed February 12, 1908, Serial No. 415,561. Renewed. August 28, 1911. Serial No. 646,544.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple- Tuck Folders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its object to provide a multiple tucking device for sewing machines in which the parallel tucks are of greater depth than their spacing apart, whereby the outer edge of each tuck is caused to overlie and conceal the line of stitching at the base of an adjacent tuck.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described and set forth in the claims.

The present improvement is shown herein embodied in that class of multiple tuckfolding attachments forming the subject of the United States patent to C. H. Foster No. 57 5,342, dated January 19, 1897.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a front end View of the forward portion of a sewing machine provided with the present improvements, and Fig. 3 a plan view of the same with the bracket-arm omitted. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the lower tuck-forming memher, and Fig. 5 a transverse section thereof on the line a2 00 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the fold-turning blades, and Fig. 7 a similar view, taken from the under side of the presser-foot constituting one of the operative members of the attachment. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of a portion of the presser-foot and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a section of fabric provided with a series of tucks produced by the attachment.

To the forward portion of the bed-plate 1 is secured by means of fastening screws 2 the lower fluted plate 3 of the attachment which affords a series of convergent tapering ribs 5 with intermediate grooves 4 be ginning in the nearly flat front or receiving edge of the plate and increasing in depth and decreasing in width toward the delivery end, the ribs 5 adjacent the delivery end merging into the flat folding blades or tongues 5 which in their advance to the delivery end of an extension 3 of the plate 3 to the throat-plate are gradually turned over into an acute angle with the surface of said plate. The upper forming member consists of a similar plate 6 correspondingly fluted upon its under face to fit the flutes of the forming plate 3, and is thus provided with a spaced series of convergent grooves 7 loosely fitting the ribs 5 of the plate 3. As will be observed, the ribs and grooves are so shallow and are formed with such .the portions 5 to insure against the obstruction of the free passage of the material over such ribs around the bends therein, and also for access by a suitable instrument in introducing the material preparatory to a tuckstitching operation. The plate 6 is further provided with an elongated inspection aperture 8 through which the goods may be inspected and through which it may be assisted over the forming ribs 5 in its introduction into the attachment.

As in the patent above mentioned, theupper tuck-folding plate 6 is carried by a bracket-piece secured thereto by means of fastening screws 9 and having parallel upwardly extending guide-arms 10 provided with the vertical slots 11 entered by screwstuds 12 projecting from the laterally channeled guide-block 13 formed at the outer end of a supporting bar 1 1 which is secured by means of a screw 15 to the lower end of the head of the sewing machine bracketarm 16. The upper portions of the guidearms 10 are pivotally connected by means of screws 17 to the lower ends of the links 18 whose upper ends are pivotally connected by means of screws 19 with lifting crankarms 20 fixed upon the opposite ends of the rock-shaft 21 journaled in bearing lugs 22 of the guide-block 13 intermediate which is fixed thereon the lifting lever 23 by which the upper tuck-forming plate 6 may be raised and lowered for introduction and engagement of the material.

The supporting bar 1 1 is notched intermediate its ends to receive the vertical arm 21 of the carrier-bar 25 attached thereto by means of the fastening screw 26. The carrier-bar 25 is provided with a series of vertical sockets in which are secured by means of screws 27 the cylindrical shanks 28 of the fold-turning blades 29, each of which has its upper or body port-ion shaped correspondingly with the operative face of one of the folding tongues 5 and has at its lower edge a flange 30, each of such fold-turning blades being sustained adjacent the upper side of the inclined tongue 5 with its lower flange 30 slightly spaced from the top of the folding plate extension 3 intermediate the bases of the adjacent tongues 5*. The presser-foot 31 is provided, as is usual in multiple-needle chain-stitch machines, with a series of elongated needle-holes 32 to receive the needles 33 carried by the multiple needle-clamp 34: mounted upon the needle-bar 35 of the machine, and adjacent each needle-hole, upon the side opposite that in which the tuckforming tongues 5 are inclined, is formed a curved slot 36 extending from a point at the front end of the presser-foot in advance of the needlehole to a point rearward of said needle-hole. To insure the proper guidance of the tucks formed in the material and delivered from the forming tongues 5", the front portion of each guide-slot 36 is formed upon the edge 37 in advance of the needle with an inclination in the same direction as that of the adjacent tongue 5* the side walls of the slot are so arranged, and particularly that nearest the needle-hole, that while the forward portion conforms with the inclination of the adjacent end of the fold turning blades, the middle portion, or that closest wardly out of the needle-paths through the the needle-hole, is substantially parallel with the latter or with the needle-path so as to turn the tucks upward parallel with the needle adjacent the stitching point, while the rearward portion of the slot behind the needle is inclined in the same direction as the fold turning blades, and the ends of the slot are undercut so as to gradually turn downwardly the outer edges of the tucks to be pressed down upon the body of the goods by the continuous heel portion extending across the foot rearward of the tuck-guiding spaces afforded by the slots 36. As will be seen by reference to the drawings, the tuckguiding or deflecting slots 36 are arranged closer to their respective needle-holes than to the adjacent needle-holes, so that the bodies of the several overlying tucks are pressed downwardly upon the body fabric by the presser-foot, and only the outer portion or-crown of each tuck is deflected up- Wardly out of the path of the needle which secures the adjacent tuck in position. By this means, the greater portion of the tuck is introduced beneath the presser-foot in the position in which it is finally delivered from the machine, and only the tip of the tuck diverted to be subsequently ironed down to the body fabric after passage of the stitchforming mechanism, which insures the delivery of the work smoothly from beneath the presser-foot and without the wrinkling or crimping which the tucks would receive if delivered to the stitclrforming mechanism in standing position to be ultimately flattened out by the action of that portion of the presser-foot rearward of the needle-apertures.

As shown herein, the throat-plate 39 is provided with the usual feed-dog apertures 40 and with needle-holes a1 each disposed in front of but nearly in line with the edge of the flange 30 of each fold-turningblade 29, whereby a line of stitching may be produced through the body of the fabric and the base portion of each tuck overlying the same.

In the operation of the attachment, the upper folding plate 6 is raised and a piece of material m introduced into the same over the lower folding plate 3 and intermediate the tongues 5 and fold-turning blades 29, with the outer portions of the folds m" thus produced entering their respective guideslots 36 of the presser-foot. The upper fold ing plate 6 is then lowered and the machine started, when the operation of the feed acts in the ordinary manner to draw the material through the convergent intermeshing tuck forming ribs and grooves into a series of parallel standing tucks which are led over the tongues 5 and under the fold turning blades 29 with their body portions beneath the flat lower face of the pressenfoot 31, but with their outer portions deflected upguide-slots 36, whereby parallel seams s are produced through the body of the fabric mand the bases of the tucks m", as represented in Fig. 9.

By reference to Fig. 7, it will be observed that the inner end of each of the slots 36 has a bevel substantially the same as that of the forward portions of the Presser-foot intermediate the slots, so that, as the outer marginal portions of the tucks enter the rearward portions of the guide-slots they are turned downwardly and are finally pressed flat upon the bases of the adjacent folds by the continuous heel portion of the presser-foot, of which the shank is com posed of two parts pivotally connected together by means of the screw-pin 39, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, to enable it to accommodate itself to the Work.

As will be observed, the curved body portions 29 of the fold-turning blades cooperate with the tongues 5* .in turning over the tucks formed uponthe ribs 5 so as to overlie the intermediate body portion of the fabric,

while theflanges 30 serve to maintain such intermediate body portion flat intermediate the bases of the tucks to insure proper delivery beneath the presser-foot for the action of the stitch-forming mechanism.

l/Vhile I have herein shown a preferred embodiment of the present improvement, it is to be understood that the present inven tion embraces other forms and arrangements of parts for producing the described result in a substantially similar manner, and that the present invention is not therefore limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention is directed to a means for producing simultaneously a plurality of tucks, that is, two or more, of which at least one has a greater width than its spacing from the adjacent tuck whose base it overlies, and the number and relation of any other tucks which the apparatus is designed to produce simultane ously therewith is not material. As the present improvement is not directed to any specific form or construction of upper and lower tuck-forming members, which are designated flutes for convenience in the foregoing description, it is evidently unessential that these members be constructed as specifically shown and described herein.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. The combination with a sewing ma chine provided with stitch-forming mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocating needles, of a multiple tuck-folding attachment comprising means for producing a plurality of spaced parallel tucks overlying the body of the fabric and of greater width than their spacing apart, and a presser-foot provided with a plurality of needle-holes and a plurality of curved guide-slots each embracing a needle-hole upon one side and formed with side walls correspondingly inclined forwardly and rearwardly of the needle-hole.

2. A multiple tuck-folding attachment for sewing machines comprising upper and lower fluted plates having a plurality of rearwardly converging intermeshing ribs and grooves extending substantially in the direction of feed of the work of a depth at their delivery ends greater than their spacing apart, said ribs merging at their de livery ends into laterally inclined tongues and presenting at their receiving ends slightly sinuous lines to facilitate the introduction of the material between the forward edges of the plate in substantially flat condition, a plurality of fold-turning blades having their body portions overlying said inclined tongues and provided with flanges extending intermediate the bases of said tongues, and a presser-foot having a heel portion with continuous work-engaging face extending across the same and formed with a series of forwardly projecting fingers each provided with a needle-hole and affording intermediate tuck-guiding spaces in alinement with the forward extremities of said blades, the sides of said fingers being inclined rearward of the needle-holes to lay the tucks flat for engagement of the heel portion of the resser-foot after the stitching operation, whereby the tucks are de livered in flat condition.

3. A multiple tuck-folding attachment for sewing machines, comprising upper and lower fluted plates having a plurality of rearwardly converging intermeshing ribs and grooves extending substantially in the direction of feed of the work and of a depth at the delivery ends greater than their spac ing apart, said ribs extending in advance of the upper plate and merging into laterally inclined tongues, a plurality of fold-turning blades having their body portions overlying said inclined tongues and provided with flanges extending intermediate the bases of said tongues, and means in alinement with the delivery ends of said tongues for deflecting the folds delivered by said tongues laterally in the opposite direction from their inclination to expose the bases of the adjacent tucks for stitching.

4. The combination with a multiple needle sewing machine adapted for stitching simultaneously a plurality of parallel seams, of a multiple tuclcfolding attachment comprising means for producing a plurality of spaced parallel tucks of greater width than their spacing apart and including a plurality of laterally inclined tongues over which the tucks are delivered, and a plurality of fold-turning blades having inclined portions overlying said tongues for causing said tucks to be delivered to the stitch-forming mechanism with their bases overlying the body of the fabric, and a presser-foot provided with a plurality of needle-holes and a corresponding number of guide-slots each extending from the front of said foot in advance of one of said needleholes laterally in the opposite direction from that of the inclination of said tongues, said guide slots having their side walls substantially parallel with the needle holes adjacent the latter and being inclined similarly to the fold-turning blades forwardly and rearwardly thereof, whereby the outer edges of the tucks are deflected out of the path of the needles entering said needle-holes in the presser-foot.

5. The combination with a multiple needle sewing machine adapted for stitching simultaneously a plurality of parallel seams, of a multiple tuck-folding attachment comprising means for producing a plurality of spaced parallel tucks of greater width than their spacing apart and in- &

eluding a plurality of laterally inclined tongues over which the tucks are delivered, and a plurality of fold-turning blades having inclined portions overlying said tongues for causing said tucks to be delivered to the stitch-forming mechanism with their bases overlying the body of the fabric, and a presser-foot provided with a plurality of needle-holes and a corresponding number of curved guide-slots each extending from the front of said foot in advance of one of said needle-holes to a point behind the same and embracing the latter upon the side opposite the direction of inclination of said tongues, whereby the outer portions of the tucks are laterally deflected to expose the bases of the adjacent tucks for passage of the needles and are thereafter restored to initial relation with the bodies of the tucks to conceal the stitching upon the bases thereof.

6. The combination with a multipleneedle sewing machine adapted for stitching simultaneously a plurality of parallel seams, of a multiple tuck-folding attachment comprising means for producing a plurality of spaced parallel tucks of which at least one has a greater width than its spacing from the adjacent tuckto enable it to overlie the base of the latter, and a plurality of tuck-guides for directing said tucks to the stitch-forming mechanism with their bases overlying the body of the fabric, and a presserfoot provided with a plurality of needle-holes and a guide-slot embracing each needle-hole corresponding with the tuck whose base is overlaid by the adjacent tuck, said guide-slot being bowed laterally from the front of the foot in advance of the needle-hole to a point rearward of the needle-hole and formed with unbroken opposite walls, whereby the outer edge of the overlying tuck is deflected out of the path of the needle entering said needle-hole.

7. The combination with a multiple needle sewing machine adapted for stitching simultaneously a plurality of parallel seams, of a multiple tuck-folding attachment comprising means for producing a plurality of spaced parallel tucks of which at least one has a greater width than its spacing from the adjacent tuck to enable it to overlie the base of the latter, and a plu rality of tuck-guides for directing said tucks to the stitch-forming mechanism with their bases overlying the body of the fabric, and a presser-foot provided with a plurality of needle-holes and a guide-slot embracing each needle-hole corresponding with the tuck whose base is overlaid by the adjacent tuck, said guide-slot being bowed laterally from the front of the foot in advance of the needle-hole to a point rearward of the needle-hole and disposed nearer to its respective needle-hole than to. the, adjacent needle-hole. V

8. A multiple tuck-folding attachment for sewing machines comprising upper and lower spaced and convergent intermeshing tuck-folding members with laterally inclined tongues constituting continuations of the lower folding members, tuck-guides formed with flanges extending beneath said tongues and intermediate their bases, and a presser-foot provided with a plurality of needle-holes and a plurality of guide-slots each extending from the front of said foot in advance of one of said needle-holes laterally in the opposite direction from that of the inclination of said tongues, said guideslots having their side walls inclined reversely from said tongues forwardly and rearwardly of the needle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN DOUGLAS. lVitnesses H. A. KORNEMANN, J12, JOSEPH F. JAQUITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

